Discussion

Name the fundamental assumptions of the humanistic approach as Bugental, the first president of the American Association for Humanistic Psychology, described them and express your opinion about them. Do you agree or disagree with those statements? If possible, work in pairs.

Text 2 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Vocabulary notes

to establish

hierarchy of needs

unsatisfied need

exemplary

mentally ill

safety

esteem

selfishly

craving

growth

self-actualization

gratification

— основывать

— иерархия потребностей

— неудовлетворенная потребность

— показательный

— психически больной

— безопасность

— оценка

— эгоистично

— страсть

— рост

— самореализация

— удовлетворенность

sick

evil

basic needs

Irritation

pain

security

— больной

— злой

— основные нужды

— раздражение

— боль

— безопасность

abusive

desire

to appreciate

— склонный к насилию

— желание

— ценить

applause

competence

to seek

— аплодисменты

— компетентность

— искать

Abraham Maslow is known for establishing the theory of a hierarchy of needs. He wrote that human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs, and that certain lower needs need to be satisfied before higher needs can be satisfied. Maslow studied exemplary people such as Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Frederick Douglas rather than mentally Ш or neurotic people. This was a radical difference from two of the major schools of psychology of his days: S. Freud's and B.F Skinner's.

According to Maslow, there are general types of needs (physiological, safety, love, and esteem) that must be satisfied before a person can act not selfishly. He called these needs "deficiency needs." As long as we are motivated to satisfy these cravings, we are moving towards growth, toward self-actualization. Satisfying needs is healthy, blocking gratification makes us sick or evil.

Physiological needs are the very basic needs such as air, water, food, sleep, sex, etc. When these are not satisfied we may feel sickness, irritation, pain, discomfort, etc. Once they are satisfied, we may think about other things.

Safety needs have to do with establishing stability and consistency in a chaotic world. These needs are mostly psychological in nature. We need the security of a home and family. However, if a family is dysfunctional, i.e., an abusive husband, the wife cannot move to the next level because she has problems with safety.

Love is the next on the ladder. Humans have a desire to belong to groups: clubs, work groups, religious groups, family, gangs, etc. We need to feel loved (non-sexual) by others, to be accepted by others. Performers appreciate applause. We need to be needed.

There are two types of esteem needs. First is self-esteem which results from competence or mastery of a task. Second, there's the attention and recognition that comes from others. This is similar to the belongingness level; however, wanting admiration has to do with the need for power. People who have all of their lower needs satisfied, often drive very expensive cars because doing so raises their level of esteem.

The need for self-actualization is "the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming." People who have everything can maximize their potential. They can seek knowledge, peace, esthetic experiences, self-fulfillment, etc.

EXERCISE 1

Questions to the text:

1. What is Abraham Maslow known for?

2. What motivated human beings according to Maslow?

3. What kind of people did Maslow study in order to develop his theory?

4. What needs does a person need to satisfy before a person can act unselfishly?

5. When are we moving towards self-actualization?

6. What are the very basic needs in Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

7. What needs are mostly psychological in nature?

8. What are the two kind of esteem needs?

9. What is the need for self-actualization?

JOKES

Rogerian Therapist

Patient to Rogerian therapist: I'm really depressed.

Therapist: I see. Yes. You are depressed.

Patient: Nothing is going well.

Therapist: Nothing well.

Patient: I feel like killing myself.

Therapist: You're thinking of killing yourself.

Patient: Yes, I'm going to do it NOW.

Therapist: You want to do it now.

Patient: [Jumps out window.]

Therapist: Woosh. Splat.

QUOTATIONS

A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting.

Abraham Maslow

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.

Abraham Maslow

The good life is a process not a state of being; it is a direction not a destination.

Abraham Maslow

Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for.

Carl Rogers

Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first time.

Carl Rogers